If you can afford to take a chance on a higher health insurance deductible, an HSA can help you keep your medical costs down. If you suspect, by choosing a high-deductible health plan, that your finances or your temperament will prevent you from going to the doctor because you want to save money, the HDHP/HSA combo might not be right for you because it could cause your health to suffer. It could also cause you to delay seeking treatment, allowing a problem that was small and easily treatable to turn into a large problem that’s difficult and costly to manage.

Having an HDHP can discourage you from making the potentially unnecessary doctor visits that you might otherwise make if you had a low deductible that you’d already met. That’s an acceptable way to control healthcare costs. But sacrificing your health is not.

Your first goal should be to pick the health insurance plan that will get you the best care for your budget. If an HSA is compatible with that plan, then you can look forward to potentially lowering your healthcare costs and saving more for retirement. (Still need help deciding whether an HSA is right for you? Read Pros and Cons of a Health Savings Account (HSA).)